Below is my column at Fox.com on the most recent discovery of classified documents at one of the homes of President Joe Biden. Despite the latest discovery, allies like Sen. Chris Coons were on Sunday shows repeating his assurance that “there is no there there.” The insistence that the record clearly shows innocent “inadvertence” now borders on willful blindness as inadvertent possession occurs over and over again with documents from both Biden’s time as a senator and as vice president. A decade of inadvertence.
Here is the column:
President Biden seems to attract classified documents the way some people think motor homes attract tornadoes. They just inexplicably happen.
After Biden publicly declared that he has “no regrets” in the discovery of unlawfully stored classified material in various locations, he assured citizens that the special counsel investigation would soon peter out when they find that “there is no there there.”
Well, there turns out to be more there and the “there” is yet another find in a private residence of Joe Biden.
A search of Biden’s home in Wilmington on Friday found six new clearly marked classified documents, bringing the total to roughly 30 classified documents. The latest search came almost three months after the first discovery in a closet in a D.C. office.
Yet, the president and White House still maintain that all of these documents are merely the result of “inadvertent mishandling” and that Biden has no knowledge of their storage over the prior roughly six years. There is a point when “inadvertence” becomes so incredible as to be miraculous.
At the start of this scandal, I questioned the inadvertence claim in light of one simple fact. These classified documents were presumably removed in 2017 and yet they were divided and distributed to different locations. Those locations have now increased to at least four: the closet, garage, library, and the new location at the Wilmington residence. That suggests that they were transferred more than once and sent to different locations for a purpose.
The most obvious purpose is that Biden was working on a book that discussed some of the underlying subject matters like China and Ukraine. However, Biden insists that he never had knowledge or interaction with the documents.
In other words, these documents just miraculously seem to appear in every spot where Biden worked or lived over the last 10 years. He possessed them with no knowledge or intent. It is the immaculate possession . . . over and over again.
The use of FBI agents for this latest search stands in sharp contrast to prior searches and magnifies earlier questions of why the FBI reportedly declined an invitation to conduct the searches.
There is still no confirmation of where the documents were found in the residence or their level of classification.
The latest batch of documents easily establishes “gross mishandling” of classified material, the standard being investigated by the special counsel. The only question is who is responsible and President Biden portrays himself as a mere pedestrian “surprised” over and over again by the discovery of classified documents in his home. He is fast becoming the Claude Rains of presidents in feigning shock that there is handling of classified material in this establishment.
Biden’s worst critic, however, may be Biden.
In 1977, as senator from Delaware, Biden torpedoed President Jimmy Carter’s nominee for CIA director over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. As with the current scandal, Ted Sorensen was accused of having the documents for work on a book. The motive did not matter. Sen. Biden expressed his signature revulsion at the very thought of the possession.
President Jimmy Carter at the White House, April 7, 1980. (Library of Congress/Marion S. Trikosko/Handout via Reuters)
There was no evidence of ill intent, but Biden insisted that was not the issue. Biden argued that Sorensen could still be prosecuted under the Espionage Act and insisted the “real issue” during Sorensen’s confirmation hearing was “whether Mr. Sorensen intentionally took advantage of ambiguities in the law, or carelessly ignored the law.”
After all, Biden continued, “If he did so, can he now bring the activities of the intelligence community within the strict limits of the law? We will expect that in the future of intelligence agencies. If that is to be the case, then we must hold the director – DCI – accountable as well.”
Notably, some of the recently discovered classified documents may have been from Biden’s time as a senator — over ten years ago.
I have previously noted that Biden “has always been better at expressing revulsion than responsibility.” When it came to Sorensen, Biden could not imagine a rationalization for a nominee to excuse such mishandling of classified material, but as a president, “there is no there there.”
Biden has continued to make the case against himself with remarkable determination. His defense that some documents were housed in his “locked garage with my Corvette” may go down as one of the most imbecilic statements in modern political history. He then followed up with his “no regrets” comments (and his assurance of “no there there”) just before more classified documents were found “there.”
While special counsel do not mind defendants making fools of themselves, they do not want to join them in such public spectacles. In this investigation, the Biden defense is looking increasingly implausible in his claim of no knowledge or responsibility.
Indeed, if any witness or forensic evidence shows that Biden came into contact with any of these documents over the last 10 years, this dubious defense will take on a far more sinister appearance. It would establish not just intent and knowledge, but an effort to deceive the public and prosecutors.
Yet, even after the latest batch was found, Biden and allies like Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., are continuing to maintain that “there is no there there.” These continuing denials now border on willful blindness and the public reaction is likely to echo the president’s favorite tagline: “Come on, man.”
Perhaps we are all missing the obvious. Old Joe really had no clue as to those documents. He gave them to Hunter years ago and forgot about it. Hunter has been selling them to China and Russia in small tranches ever since. The document stash they just found was Hunter’s inventory.
The only tactical way the Dems and the media can work this now is to “blame” Biden for bad optics and bad handling of the PR surrounding the documents. They, or most of them, will not admit that this is criminal activity, they will just say that Trump is worse and that Biden is honest and he is just making a public relations error regarding an honest mistake.
Hullbobby – slowly even that narrative is dying.
It is my understanding more docs were found today.
Further it has been reported that the Biden Center Docs were stored somewhere in ChinaTown in DC before going to the Biden center.
The Senate Docs make a search of the Udel archives likely.
The last batch of Docs was found by the FBI – AFTER Biden’s lawyers searched.
So I am expecting the FBI/DOJ will be less accomodating on future searches.
And finally – Obama is being proved right, Don’t underestimate Joes ability to F#$K things up.
John Say, why do you think more documents were found today?
Because I saw half a dozen news reports on RCP and Youtube.
Today is 1/23/2022. I doubt that you can cite any news report that says more documents were found on 1/23.
Items were found in a consensual FBI search on Friday, 1/20, and people are still reporting about that.
On a post originally made on Sunday or the wee hours of Monday morning. You want to argue whether news articles that first appeared on Saturday or Sunday are Today ?
Keep arguing about what “today” is – and soon enough it will be june and they reports will definitely not be “today”.
What is self evident at this time is that it is nearly 3 months since the first Biden classified docs were found – and they are STILL being found.
There are two possibilties – both of which are likely true.
The search was not very thorough – we know many more docs were found by the FBI in places that had been searched a week or more ago.
The classified docs are sprayed all over the place. Which means it is STILL unlikely we have seen the last of this.
More recently we found Docs from Biden’s time int he Seante – that pretty much requires searching Biden’s Udel senate archives – as well as many other places Biden docs might have been in the past 50 years.
It has also been reported that the VP Docs were stored somewhere in ChinaTown before being moved to Biden Center.
Another place they were not allowed to be.
Also problematic because GSA is not supposed to move potentially classified docs to locations that are not SCIF’s.
As I understand it, there’s some reason why these records have to be moved out of the Penn center. If that is true, why isn’t it simply a matter of hiring a moving company to move them? Why did it take one or more of biden’s personal attorneys to do this moving? Is the assumption that these materials were commingled with someone else’s stuff and that it had to be separated by a member of the bar before it could be moved? This seems odd, and unusually expensive unless these folks are charging an hourly rate less than a moving company.
I have a lot more questions regarding control numbers and accounting of documents, and why this wasn’t noticed earlier. In most places, and perhaps in all places, inventory of classified material must be performed on a periodic such as annually. Or all of these documents a judge to be missing? Somebody’s accountable for all of these documents (assuming they had control numbers).
The notes which may or may not have been properly marked, which have been discovered in this most recent tranche, also raise a lot of questions. For instance working papers must be brought under control or destroyed. How did all of this get missed?
Obama and Susan Rice want Biden out of the picture for the 2024 primaries.
With the discovery of classified material from Biden’s Senate years at his home the massive archive of his senatorial records that U of Delaware has been jealously guarding must be searched by DoJ.
Lefty, that is a very good point!
Interesting tweet this evening by Jack Posobiec:
“Sure would be a shame if those classified Biden documents at his house contained troop movements from OEF/OIF
I mention this for no reason whatsoever of course
Hi, DCSA”
The most obvious purpose is that Biden was working on a book that discussed some of the underlying subject matters like China and Ukraine. However, Biden insists that he never had knowledge or interaction with
the documents.Hunter’s business ventures.Now we know not only is he lying, but why he’s lying. It involves a direct connection to China and Ukraine.
On another note; is anyone else concerned we have public servants using TS/SCI material to personally profit by writing books? What the he!! Is he getting out of those documents that could be made public?
The apologists for Biden (who are also the fiercest critics of Trump) have used two defenses so far: “inadvertance” as to existence of the documents; and “full co-operation” with the DOJ. The apologists don’t recognize that the second defense is undermined by the first. Full co-operation with the DOJ requires not only a complete listing of all the purloined documents, and their current wherabouts, but also a complete itinerary of their journey in the six years since he took them. Claiming that he “doesn’t know” or “just forgot” does not fulfill his duty to protect this country.
How did this become a forum on the war in Ukraine?
“some of the recently discovered classified documents may have been from Biden’s time aas a senator — over ten years ago..”
this is why the 2,000 cubic feet of records he deposited/donated to the U of Delaware need to be reviewed. no telling what is in the boxes
Why do you say “Biden’s activity as a senator . . . over 10 years ago”? Didn’t Biden leave the Senate in 2009? That would be 14 years, no?
Good point, but OTOH 14 years ago is over 10 years ago so the Prof is technically correct.
I guess I could say the Declaration of Independence was written over 10 years ago and I’d technically be correct too.
After the mass shooting in California, I’ve come to realize that we must take a stand against white racism.
“AVOID INJURIOUS TENDENCIES”
Let’s see what the American Founders realized.
______________________________________
“The influx of foreigners must, therefore, tend to produce a heterogeneous compound; to change and corrupt the national spirit; to complicate and confound public opinion; to introduce foreign propensities. In the composition of society, the harmony of the ingredients is all-important, and whatever tends to a discordant intermixture must have an injurious tendency.”
– Alexander Hamilton
_________________
Naturalization Acts of 1790, 1795, 1798 and 1802
United States Congress, “An act to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,” March 26, 1790
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That any Alien being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof…
The Asians killed in CA were killed by an Asian…
Still white supremacist.
Here’s one solution to end the war in Ukraine: America should launch ICBMs at Russian positions in Ukraine. If you punch a bully, it is an escalation, but only if the bully deems it such. If he’s smart, he won’t, and he will back down. It is an escalation only if Russia agrees that it is. If they don’t, then it’s not: it’s an acquiescence to the punch in the nose. Here’s another solution to stop the war: Ukraine should be admitted as the 51st state of the United States. Russia wouldn’t dare attack the United States even without Ukraine as a state, so Russia wouldn’t dare to attack the new United States with Ukraine as the 51st state, either. As you can see, there ARE real things that can be done to stop the war, but everyone just wants to sit around with their thumbs up their butts while apartments, kindergartens, and hospitals get blown to smithereens. What good does that do?
Admission of Ukraine as a state would require passage of a resolution to that effect by majorities in both Houses of Congress, and subject to a filibuster in the Senate.
-not to further mention that, notwithstanding the non-contiguous nature of AK and HI, Ukraine is just a bridge too far to cross.
I’d rather see a continental incorporation of Mexico (but blocking transcontinental Panamanians) for more Western hemispherical strength/clout.
There are many wars going on globally.
Neither of your proposals are going to happen, just like they don’t happen for other countries mired in war.
Here’s a more likely end: the Russian oligarchs will eventually decide that Putin is creating too many problems for them, and they will have him assassinated, and they will bring his war to a close.
Precisely!
“It’s time to stop talkin’ and start chalkin’!”
– Chick Hearn
___________
George Washington dominated the abusive King George and showed him who was boss in the name of freedom.
Abraham Lincoln, in the name of “the dictatorship of the proletariat,” rolled over for his indoctrinator, Karl Marx.
Thanks to “Honest Abe,” who was anything but, America has Lincoln’s, proletarian, post-constitution, communist, welfare state of enslavement to enjoy today.
The Supreme Court believes itself to be the new King George, tossing aside the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and presiding over “the dictatorship of the [anti-constitutional] judiciary.”
Actually, per its Constitution, America has the power to tax only for “common defense.”
Europe and all nations must have adopted the Constitution long ago.
Europe must allow itself to tax for the “common defense” of the European States, and do that with a vengeance right now (If all nations had adopted the Constitution, there would be no enemies and all nations would be living in freedom and peace).
But who cares about the fundamental law after Lincoln, who destroyed the Constitution, imposed the Communist Manifesto with a gun to America’s head.
Wait! That is exactly what Rootin’ Tootin’ Putin is doing, huh, destroying Ukraine and fundamental law that precludes taxation for common offense?
George,
You must have forgotten, every citizen shouldn’t get to vote, including women, illegals & the Commie Prez Wilson, his Federal Reserve System, (Globalist Central Banking Trash like Hamilton), Direct elected Senators, IRS & WW1 over Oil/Nat Gas lines from the Middle East/Iraq to Western Europe.
Count me & millions of other out of your Fantasy Russia Phk Feast this time.
YouOthers want to go there, get your a guns & MRIs go there & get your kicks.
Let me out of your car, I’ll walk home. Thks. None of my Biz!!!
Congress has the power to tax for ONLY common defense.
Congress has no power to tax for foreign offense or foreign defense for that matter, common or otherwise.
Europe should be taxing for common defense – it should have adopted the U.S. Constitution (or reasonable facsimile) – the definitive document for self-governance.
Here’s another solution. Stop supplying Ukraine with any military or economic assistance unless they negotiate a new deal with Russia that accepts Russian control over Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaphorizhia, Kherson and Crimea and guarantees that the remaining part of Ukraine will not join NATO.
Daniel, the United States signed the Budapest Memorandum guaranteeing the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Congress has the power to tax for ONLY common defense.
Congress has no power to tax for foreign offense or foreign defense for that matter, common or otherwise.
Europe should be taxing for common defense – it should have adopted the U.S. Constitution (or reasonable facsimile) – the definitive document for self-governance.
What specific commitments did the US give in that memorandum? So far as I can tell it committed the US to nothing in this situation. It did provide for seeking UN Secutity Council action of some kind in the event of the use or threat of nuclear weapons against Ukraine, but that’s it.
Moreover, the US government has never viewed even the limited assurances given in the memorandum as being legally binding commitments.
Daniel, it is not a treaty obligation. But it is a good faith obligation, so ought to be honored.
Ukraine signed the Minsk accords. It promised not to shell its own people. They shelled them and killed 10,000 Russian-speaking Ukranians. The Germans admitted Ukraine never intended to honor the agreement but just bought time to re-arm.
Here is a factually (largely) correct summary:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minsk_agreements
which mespo72* has mangled.
(He might be a paid apologist for Czar Vlad the Mad. Afterall, he admits to being a Mouth for Hire.)
Far be it from me to disagree with such a lofty scholarly source as wiki (where you can get European history and recipes, too) but here’s some rather wordy but accurate assessment of the agreement:
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/05/minsk-conundrum-western-policy-and-russias-war-eastern-ukraine-0/minsk-2-agreement
Ohand here’s Ukraine’s idea of complying with Minsk after their paid stooge took office:
“Within days of the U.S. presidential election being called for Joe Biden, Ukraine’s armed forces resumed combat operations in over a dozen hot zones across the breakaway region of eastern Donbass. Separatist positions came under fire by Ukrainian mortars, infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), grenade launchers, and small arms; at least two Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) soldiers were killed, including one DNR commander. The DNR’s former Defense Minister Igor Strelkov predicted late last week that Ukrainian offensives will increase in scale and frequency following Joe Biden’s victory: “It [the Ukrainian offensives] never stopped, though the intensity varied. But a decisive Ukrainian offensive is possible, unfortunately. It was possible all of these six years. Now it’s even more possible, especially after Joe Biden’s victory,” said Strelkov in an interview with Russian media. Former DNR Chairman Andrei Purgin added that, whereas the Trump administration pursued a policy of “slow strangulation” against the Donbass separatist republics, Biden’s approach will be “more aggressive and straightforward.” The renewed Ukrainian offensives are the latest flare-up in what has been an uneasy ceasefire negotiated in late July.”
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/ukraine%E2%80%99s-power-play-minsk-172281
Oh and here’s Heir Barren (kidless hence not a care about the future) Angela Merkle take on teh real nefarious reason for Minsk Accords. I love it when you challenge me on teh facts with your wiki cannon!!
.”In an interview with the German newspaper Die Zeit last week, former German chancellor Angela Merkel revealed the West’s real intention behind its negotiation with Russia and Ukraine to promote a ceasefire in 2014. She admitted the Minsk agreements were an “attempt to give Ukraine time” and that Kiev had used it “to become stronger.”
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281708.shtml
“Heir Barren” was born, raised and steeped in communism in East Germany, she never had a raison d’être other that the acquisition of communist power for power’s sake. Comradette Merkel’s base philosophy is of state control, central planning, control of the means of production, redistribution of wealth and social engineering, and she is a direct and mortal enemy of freedom, the American thesis, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Americans and America.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Congress has the power to tax for ONLY common defense.
Congress has no power to tax for foreign offense or foreign defense for that matter, common or otherwise.
Europe should be taxing for common defense – it should have adopted the U.S. Constitution (or reasonable facsimile) – the definitive document for self-governance.
Here is the Chatham House position on Russia:
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/05/myths-and-misconceptions-debate-russia
Daniel,
Hear! Hear!
Those who are promoting WWIII and nuclear war, they or their children should enlist and volunteer to be the first troops to fight against Russia.
You people must have never been in any sort of scuffle or fight. You continue to poke, punch, Bully, escalate, invade Russians sphere violating the Bush-J Baker/Russian agreement & murdering Russians, Russian oligarchs will Demand of Putin, will Phk you Idiots up & I can’t find fault with them defending themselves against you Luciferians, anti-god Azzholes.
Get you Some, Get You Some, So just go get you some Morons. Come on down! Tell them what they’ve Won Bob! LOL;)
Pray Jesus, they know what they do.
How old are you?
Can you still enlist and volunteer to be the first in a force on force ware with Russia?
If you are too old, how about your kids? Grand kids?
Otherwise, you or your kids/grand kids are just “. . . sit around with their thumbs up their butts . . . “
Over my 30 year career I’ve handled these types of documents. There is no power on earth that will convince me that their possession can be “oops, my bad.” Such documents have borders indicating that they’re T/S or above. They also have T/S stamped on them in large black letters. A closet, desk, or locked garage next to the ‘vet’ do not rise to secure storage.
I am surprised that there was no tracking system for these documents. Also why wasn’t there a security official to account for the documents?
Presuming that I had mishandled T/S documents, I’d bee in a federal prison.
Absolutely right. Every page is marked, top and bottom, and there’s a colored cover sheet on every document. Control numbers are included on every document and are used for periodic accountability inspections. Since these documents are apparently adrift, whom by name was responsible for gun decking the records?
My local public library can tell me when a book is overdue but the White House can control TS/SCI documents? Some deliberate override of the system seems to be going on here.
I meant can’t. Sorry!
Individuals with demential sometimes have lucid intervals. The trouble with Biden’s lucid intervals (if there are any) is that during such times he reveals himself to be so morally repugnant that we want them to end as fast as possible and get back to just plain demented.
Claude Rains was a great actor and nearly perfect in Casablanca. I feel sure he would have been offended by any comparison to the present POTUS. Otherwise I have no difficulties with the professor’s column.
Biden — or more likely a staffer — must have been listening to Piaf songs. “Non, je ne regrette rien.”
Edith Piaf! Good for you, Lysias! (I have some old records of her, 78s or thick discs, bought to complement an antique ((crank wind-up)) Edison Victrola)
(sorry, I’ve been indoors all week with bad weather blues..no little sparrows out there. One whole week,– the longest I’ve ever visited this site). I’ll try to get back on topic….
lin…..OT…..We have a crank up Victrola too, that still plays 78’s….as well as a crank up cylinder phonograph Victrola that plays the old cylinders. Finding good needles is the only problem……they have to be the right size.
Biden clearly has a Claude Rains fixation. Lately it’s the ‘Casablanca’ persona. During the 2020 campaign, it was ‘The Invisible Man’ hidden in his basement. And then there’s the father in ‘The Wolf Man’ trying to deal with a son who has irresistible impulses.
I wish the kids who got blown up in the disgraceful bugout from Afghanistan got this much interest from the press. But that was still the honeymoon phase of Biden regime before the Democrats realized the 2020 election was a pyrrhic victory. I’m going to enjoy watching Biden miraculously get the nomination and miraculously win in 2024. Maybe then we’ll start to take election integrity seriously.
Update on FTX Case:
FTX Judge Backs Firm’s Lawyers, Rejects Last-Minute ‘Rumors’ (1)
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/crypto/ftx-judge-backs-company-law-firm-rejecting-last-minute-rumors
Recall:
Sam Bankman-Fried donated over $40 million in the 2022 election cycle. Where did it go?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-political-donations-2022/
BETCHA – The Judicial Bench cover-up will come via a Sealed Case.
Uh? What? Did someone ask for an update on the FTX case or did Biden also have FTX documents in his possession? Please clarify for me. Thank you in advance!
The donations figure is now up to 70+M
Inadvertent authoritarianism: deep state spooks can plant any contraband any place they find convenient for destabilizing a regime, just as Biden had authorized against select targets while on the Senate foreign relations committee. Poetic justice, darkly.
“In 1977, as senator from Delaware, Biden torpedoed President Jimmy Carter’s nominee for CIA director over his alleged mishandling of classified documents”
In fact, many Senators — both Republicans and Democrats — objected to Sorensen, and the reasons weren’t limited to mishandling of classified docs. For example, at the time, the NYT said that Sen. Morgan (D-NC) “based his objection on a belief that Mr. Sorensen had not been candid with the intelligence committee when he testified that President Kennedy had been unaware of C.I.A. plots to assassinate Fidel Castro” (https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/02/archives/the-rejection-of-sorensen-a-drama-of-human-failing-in-rare-defeat.html). They also noted that by Sorensen’s own count in a sworn affidavit, “he took 67 boxes of documents, letters and other material from the White House when he left in 1964 and that they included seven boxes of “classified” information,” so it’s not particularly comparable to what’s currently known about Biden.
Laws change. What Sorensen did was apparently legal at the time but would be illegal today. Time will tell whether either Biden or Trump get charged, and if so, with what.